


Slowly Ripped Away By Death

by Toaverse



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Angst, Cancer, Character Death, Gen, Lung Cancer, Slow Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toaverse/pseuds/Toaverse
Summary: The Lightfoots already lost Wilden to a illness. They weren’t expecting the same thing happening to Barley 16 years later...
Comments: 23
Kudos: 50





	Slowly Ripped Away By Death

**Author's Note:**

> I have returned from the grave to spread more angst!
> 
> And to say; Happy Easter everyone!
> 
> A dear Anon give me inspiration to write this, so hear ya go!
> 
> Also, I’m no medical expert, so the order of the lung cancer symptoms might be incorrect (I did my research ofcours), so please don’t yell at me :/
> 
> Enjoy!

“Lung cancer...” the mother of two read out loud. Those where the words that would shatter Laurel’s world for a second time.

Barley had been coughing for around a month, and it didn’t seem to go away. At first Laurel thought it was just a fever, despite her oldest son rarely getting sick. But late within that month, he started coughing up blood. He immediately let his mother know. That’s when Laurel made an appointment, and dragged her oldest to the doctor that day, while Ian was at school.

The doctors ran a few tests on Barley, such as checking weight. But through it all, the doctors noticed that the 19 year old was coughing up blood, which was something they instantly took note of. And Barley’s light weight result didn’t make it any better.

After the tests where done, the doctors advised Laurel and her son to make a appointment for a MRI-scan. Luckily, there was still room for a appointment for the Barley, but the shortest they have to wait was 2 weeks.

In those 2 weeks, it didn’t got any better with Barley’s health. His hunger became much less which resulted into his weight going down even more, he coughs up blood regularly, not to mention the coughing without blood being spilled.

But despite all of that suffering, he stayed strong for his little brother, who didn’t know anything at that time. Well, almost anything. Ian noticed his brother coughing almost every minute, so the 16 year old tried his absolute best to make Barley feel better. The older elf really appreciated the time and effort his younger brother put for him to cheer him up, but Barley just couldn’t tell Ian that there was far more going on then only just coughing. 

Finally, the day arrived for the MRI-scan. Both Barley as well as Laurel where quite nervous about it, but they reassured themselves, as well as each other, that it was going to be okey.

After the scan was made, the cyclops doctor studied the photos to make sure it was what he thought it was.

“There appears to be a 5 centimeter tumor deep in his lung tissue.” The cyclops doctor said with sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry...but...” the doctor looked at Laurel, who has a nervous expression on her face, and then at Barley. “Your son has stage 4 lung cancer...”

Of cours, they both where shocked by this news, but Laurel isn’t going to give up so easily.

“Can we still schedule a surgery for this week?” She asked while trying to hide the tears in her eyes. Despite knowing that they don’t have enough money to pay for it, she still tried.

The cyclops doctor’s sad look didn’t change, which didn’t make it any better.

“We’re over full for the upcoming 2 weeks. But outside of that...” The cyclops said, unsure if he even wants to say the next sentence. “The cancer has already metastasized to your liver.” The doctor started, looking at Barley. “Your survival rate is 3 procent, even with surgery and treatment...” At this point, Barley could feel his gut telling him that there was still something that needed to be told. And unfortunately for him, his gut was right. “I’m sorry, but you have roughly 5 months to live...”

So now they’re home, the doctor’s words still fresh in their minds.

While he’s laying on his bed in his room, Barley tries to process what he and his mother just heard. ‘Am I going to die the same way dad did?’ He asks in his head while staring at the ceiling. He never thought he will die this soon, but it’s going to happen anyway, and there’s nothing he or his mother could do about it anymore...

His thoughts are interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. At first Barley thought it is his mother, but it was someone else.

“Hey, feeling any better?” It is Ian, who appeared to hold a cup of tea he made for his brother. And from what he just asked, Laurel hasn’t told him the news yet...

It made Barley’s heart shatter into a million peaces. Ian will be absolutely devastated when he hears that his older brother will never get better from this disease, and will eventually die from it.

“Not really...” Barley answers while taking the cup of tea Ian offered him.

“Hey, it will get better over time. Everything gets better.” Ian tries to reassure his brother.

And oh boy did Barley want to tell his little brother that things aren’t going to get better this time, and never will, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t want to put Ian through such horrific stress. But someone has to tell him about this situation someday.

Just...not now...

“Yeah...” the older brother could answer before coughing a few times again. “It will get better...”

•+•

That night, the realization that Barley is in fact terminally ill truly sank in his mind.

Memories of the doctor saying that he has 5 months to live clouded his mind. He doesn’t want to die. Not now. Not when things are looking so good right now. Not when the world is at its best. Not now that magic has found its place back into the realm, and some of the glory days having returned.

And not when it’s going so well with his family members...

Barley could feel a lump forming in his throat as he remembered Ian’s words of reassurance, that everything will get better. This time, the realization that he’s going to be ripped away from his little brother within 5 months or earlier made tears stream down Barley’s face. And when it really registered into his mind, sobs of devastation soon followed.

It makes him think about that horrible fourth memory he has of dad. The one where he’s connected to those tubes to keep him alive, and also the one where he looked unrecognizable. Barley couldn’t help but compare it to his current situation. He’ll most likely be hospitalized as well when his condition is getting worse, as well as his mother and little brother going through intense stress and worry... But that point has yet to come.

‘What did I do to deserve this?’ Was soon the burning question on his mind. He knew that the most common chances of getting lung cancer was through smoking for at least a few years. But Barley knew that that isn’t the case because he, up to this point, hasn’t even considered trying it. While on the topic, the 19 year old does remember that a few high school friends of his smoked at least 1 to 3 cigarettes a day. Of cours, they would sometimes try to convince or even pressure him to try it, but Barley’s answer was always no. Heck, they sometimes even blew clouds of smoke in his face, which mostly resulted into him coughing for quite some time.

That wasn’t really much of a happy memory...

But whatever the cause could be for a freaking tumor to form inside his lungs, Barley truly wants nothing more then to reverse time and to avoid it.

He would do anything for such a chance.

But unfortunately for him, a chance like that doesn’t exist. And Barley has to face the cruel truth called reality.

The rest of that long night existed of tears, as he thought more and more about what’s to come.

•+•

The next day went by quite quickly.

Laurel stayed home for the day while Ian went to school and Colt to work, leaving Barley at the care of his mother.

After Ian and Colt where out of the house, Laurel told her oldest that she’s going to tell them the news in the evening after they had dinner. Barley wasn’t really surprised that she’s gonna tell them about it today, but his gut was quite nervous about it.

And before he knew it, Ian was already home from school in the late afternoon, and asked his older brother if he feels any better. To which Barley with a “Nope...” again. He absolutely hates lying to his little brother, but their mother is going to tell him and Bronco the truth anyways.

Then dinner was finally over.

Barley already hid in his room before the conversation took place, not wanting to see Ian and Colt’s reactions first sight.

“Shouldn’t Barley go to the doctor again any time soon?” Ian asks after the table was cleared. “I mean, he hasn’t really been himself for the past two weeks.” Saying that sentence out loud made the 16 year old more worried then he already is for his older brother.

The question her youngest son asked is basically a head start for what Laurel is about to say, so it was now or never.

“We did yesterday...” she says, showing sadness in her voice. “You may want to sit down for this...”

Colt and Ian looked at each other out of confusion and a bit of shock, both possibly thinking the worst. They each took a seat at the kitchen table to hear what Laurel has to say.

“What is it?” Colt asks, not having a good feeling about what’s coming.

Laurel took a deep breath before starting. “2 weeks ago, when Barley and I went to the hospital, the doctor noticed some strange symptoms going on that doesn’t happen with a fever, so he advised us to do a MRI-scan.” Both the centaur and elf don’t know what a MRI scan is, despite Colt being around creatures who work in medical professions more then a few times. “The results weren’t that good...”

Taking one look at Laurel’s sad expression already told both Ian and Colt that it isn’t gonna be anything good, but Ian’s brain refuses to believe that it isn’t anything serious.

“What did they say?” Colt asks.

Laurel took a deep breath again. “Stage 4 lung cancer with a 3 percent survival rate, even with surgery and treatment...”

After Ian heard the last sentence, all he could hear was ringing. He could perfectly see everything, but all he could hear was ringing. The only two things he could vaguely hear was Colt asking how long Barley has left to live, and Laurel’s reply...

“Roughly 5 months...” she said, voice cracking as she did.

Time appeared to have stopped in Ian’s world, as he tried to proces the news he had just received. ‘Barley is dying. Barley is dying. Barley is dying.’ The 16 year old elf could only think of. ‘Barley is dying. Barley is dying. Barley is-‘

“So, you’re telling me that that doctor send him home without even bothering trying to remove that tumor?!” Colt asks in a furious tone. Of cours he is quite sad about what he just heard, but the thought of people with medical professions who do not do their job well just not sit well with him at all.

“They said there’s no more space for at least two weeks straight...” Laurel answers with a sad tone.

Meanwhile, Ian felt like he couldn’t take it anymore. All he wants to do right now is to be alone with his thought.

“Can I...go to my room...?” He asked, almost whimpering. 

His mother gave him a short nod as an answer, which was enough for Ian to go upstairs to his room immediately.

For the rest of the evening, he didn’t come out of there.

He just...need to get his thoughts cleared.

•+•

That night, both Lightfoot brothers couldn’t sleep.

Ian is too busy thinking about the terrible news he received not that long ago. He doesn’t even bother trying to sleep, even if there’s a english test the next day.

Meanwhile, Barley has the entire conversation printed in his head. His mind playing it over and over again.

Just like Ian, Barley stayed in his room until it was time to sleep.

He honestly felt nervous having to face Ian and Colt the next day, after what they had heard.

‘Bronco seemed quite upset at the hospital.’ Barley thought, remembering how Colt’s tone sounded when he heard that the hospital send him and his mother home without anything done about it. Honestly, Barley couldn’t blame the centaur. He himself wanted desperately to have that tumor removed out of his lung.

‘If only the hospital wasn’t full for the next 2 fucking weeks...’

But the biggest thing on Barley’s mind was his little brother. He’s gonna be devastated, that’s for sure. They just started enjoying each other’s company, and opening up to each other about stuff. Like brother’s would.

Like best friends would...

The sound of a few knocks on his bedroom door snapped Barley out of his thoughts, followed by someone slowly and silently opening the door. The 19 year old elf looked up to see who it was. It was Ian.

His expression is a mix of worry, sadness, and fear. It is obvious that he isn’t okey.

It was right there when Ian noticed how barley had changed over the weeks, but not for the better...

He looks more thinner, as if he isn’t eating much (which was partly true). He also looked...paler, and more miserable...

The sight makes Ian a bit scared. But not as scared when the realization hit him that his older brother didn’t look like himself at all...

“Hey...” Barley says before a few coughs followed, sitting on the edge of his bed. “Also can’t sleep?”

It also hit the younger Lightfoot how hoarse his brother’s voice had become. ‘He doesn’t even sound like himself anymore...’ 

Ian only slowly shook his head before sitting next to his brother. Silence fell, while the 16 year old became more overwhelmed by devastation by each second. Barley was about to ask what was bothering him, but Ian already beat him to it.

“I...I don’t wanna lose you...” he whimpers, his voice cracking as well. Not being able to bring another word out, broken sobs and heavy breaths where the only things Ian can possibly let out right now.

Seeing his little brother’s emotional state, Barley didn’t hesitate gently pulling Ian into a hug. The older brother desperately wanted to tell him that it’s gonna be okey and that there’s nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t. Things aren’t going to be okey for the upcoming months.

They are only getting worse.

“There, there...” Barley says quietly, holding his baby brother tightly. “Just pour your heart out...” and that’s exactly what Ian did.

“I don’t want you to die...” the younger brother whimpers, wanting to hear that that isn’t going to happen, but it most likely is.

It definitely is...

•+•

In the next week, Barley’s health didn’t improve at all. Not like it is getting worse, but it certainly isn’t getting any better.

Coughing up blood was as frequent as always, to the point where Barley got used to tasting his own blood. But not as frequent as normal coughing, which appear to happen almost every minute.

Yeah, it didn’t really improve.

While all of that was happening, Ian somehow got it into his head that magic might solve all his brother’s problems.

Each day after he comes home from school, Ian would grab the spell book and even his old history books to find some kind of healing spell, telling his mother that he’s doing homework instead.

Ian quickly found out that a wizard, called Lilith the Healer, was the creator of healing spells. However, those spells aren’t recorded in any history or spell books.

So, the youngest Lightfoot took it upon himself to create a permanent healing spell himself, no matter If he’ll get sleep deprived or not.

Barley wasn’t really a fan of it, at all. But he doesn’t know what to say to reassure his little brother. Yes, he also wants the disease to go away, but not at the cost of Ian’s own health.

Kinda like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation with the same outcome.

It made the 19 year old feel even more miserable then he already is.

Well, until a certain centaur finally had enough.

“Alright, we’re going for a walk.” Colt says straight forward. “You haven’t been outside in days, and it shows.”

“Okey?” Barley replies, just going with it. Though he has to admit that Colt is in fact right about him not being outside for awhile, which might be partly the reason why he looks so pale.

Having already his shoes on, Barley quickly grabbed a pack of handkerchiefs, just in case. Who knows when he’ll cough up blood again.

“Shall I call Ian from upstairs?” Barley asks, secretly hoping that his little brother will come as well. Ian hasn’t been outside in quite some time either. Well, if you don’t count school.

Colt thought about it for a second. “Maybe another time.” He answered, before stepping out of the door. “He’s probably busy with schoolwork.” Barley heard the centaur say from outside.

Not having anything to say or ask, Barley followed his step-father outside.

The 19 year old elf was immediately met with the feeling of the cool-ish air around him. He honestly kinda missed it.

Looking around, Barley saw that absolutely nothing has changed around town since he last went outside. But at the same time, it felt like he hadn’t been outside in ages.

“Right this way.” Colt called out with motivation, already being a few meters forward. To which Barley caught up with him a few seconds later.

Silence fell as the elf and centaur walk past houses and the driveway. And in that silence, Colt caught some pretty big red flags about Barley. The silence alone was one. The 19 year old isn’t talking about anything that catches his interest whatsoever, or anything for that matter. One look at Barley already told Colt that the teen isn’t even that happy anymore, while he always used to be before...this...

This walk really was necessary...

“Where are we going?” Barley suddenly asked his step-father, wanting to know if they where going somewhere.

“Not really somewhere specific. Just a walk around town.” Colt answers. “I thought that you maybe needed some fresh air after...well...everything.”

Barley could only respond by nodding in agreement, knowing what the centaur ment by “after everything”. And Colt’s idea surprisingly kinda worked, as the teen elf felt his mind relax a bit while looking around himself, walking at a stroll phase.

It was around half way through the walk that Barley felt a annoying itch in his throat, which only means that he has to cough again. He had just enough time to quickly grab a tissue for catching the possible blood. As the teen elf coughs a few times, he can feel a little of the red fluid being coughed out, even tasting a bit of it.

“Are you okey?” Colt asks, also having stopped walking.

“Yea, I’m fine...” Barley answers, feeling a small lump forming in his throat. “I just...coughed blood again...”

Seeing the sad look on the 19 year old’s face, Colt knew that there’s something else bothering him. And the centaur isn’t trying to hide that fact.

Barley felt like the look his step-father gives him sees right through him. Not wanting to cry in front of him, let alone in public, the teen elf swallows the lump that formed in his throat and just told him.

“I just want this to be over...”

Colt can only understand what the 20 year old is feeling. He, Laurel and Ian also want all of this to be over, and to go back to where it all was before this, but it isn’t. The symptoms and everything else around it are only going to get worse, and there is nothing they could do about it...

To some extend, it made Colt think about his current job as a police officer, and the shootouts he had to get through alive. He could have died in one of those shootouts, and then Laurel would be left all alone again. 

But this time, it is happening to Barley, who this time has to suffer through the symptoms and effects of lung cancer. And this time, there is no way around death for him.

The only thing that stayed the same where the pain and stress their loved ones would feel...

“You know what an old co-worker once told us?” Colt asks, gently laying a hand on Barley’s shoulder for comfort. “He told us: ‘Spend every moment with your loved ones like it’s the last, ‘cause you never know when death decides to rip you away from them.’ I lived by these words for most of my time as a police officer, especially when I started dating your mother.” The centaur told. “Death effects the living more, rather then the dead.” That sentence sank into Barley’s mind as he thought about his dad again, but Colt wasn’t done yet. “W-what I’m trying to say Is; spend time with your family while you still can in those months. You never know when it’s...time.”

The words that the 19 year old just heard really makes him think about his dad. How his condition must have been, and how he laid in that hospital bed with all those tubes... Barley could only imagine how hard it was for his mother to deal with it.

But now he’s the one being terminally ill, and having no way around death. But that doesn’t mean he can’t make any more happy memories with the people around him. 

Tears will fall with no doubt, but those will not belong to Barley Lightfoot.

The 19 year old answers the wise words of his step-father with a nod of certainty, and a smile full of hope. “Don’t worry, I will.” He says with all certainty in his voice.

The centaur replied with a nod, believing the elf instantly, before continuing their walk.

When they arrived home, Barley went straight to Ian’s room to check how his little brother is doing.

Opening the door, Barley sees the sight of a sleeping Ian, who looks like he had studied all day and night without any sleep whatsoever until he couldn’t take it anymore and fell asleep. It really looks like it, since history and spell books lay everywhere on his desk.

‘He’s trying so hard...’ The older brother thought, looking at the sight in front of him. ‘He really needed some rest.’

Entering Ian’s room, Barley grabbed the pillow from his younger brother’s bed and gently places it under Ian’s head. The older Lightfoot using his vest to serve as a blanket for his younger brother afterwards.

Stepping out of the door, Barley took one last look at Ian, hoping that he’ll get enough rest, before quietly closing the door.

•+•

In the next weeks, Barley’s health got drastically worse.

Nausea hit him like a truck the first few days. Every time he eats something, his stomach would feel like it wants to throw the fluids right out again.

Then there was the pain in his back, which wasn’t really that painful.

Then there was that god awful chest pain that soon followed. Whenever Barley coughed when he has to, or laugh at something Ian told, the pain would show up. It didn’t really help that Ian felt guilty for sometimes being the cause of it.

But despite all that suffering, Barley still made efforts to spend time with his family, especially Ian.

Then a lung infection hit him. And for once, it wasn’t okey...

Coughing every few seconds, the chest pain and the pain in his back, combined with the stabbing pain of the infection, broke the poor guy...

“Please....make it stop, mom...” Barley begged his mother while laying in bed, not being able to take the pain anymore.

Seeing her oldest son in so much pain truly broke Laurel’s heart. He had been fighting so hard to stay positive in those weeks, and now everything came crashing down on him at once, forcing Barley to break.

“Please...” Laurel hears her son hoarsely whimper.

That does it for her to grab the phone, and to call the hospital.

•+•

Ian and Colt got informed later that day what had happend.

Upon arriving and being inside the hospital, Laurel called her husband to inform him about what had happened, asking afterwards if he could pick up Ian from school after his shift ends to go where she is. The centaur agreed to do that.

Still being in his uniform, Colt went to pick up Ian. He appeared to be quite on time, as he saw kids exit to building. Some appear to be intimidated or nervous by the fact that a police car is on schoolground. Sure, the hospital isn’t that far from where the Lightfoot’s live, but it always goes faster with a car.

The 16 year old elf came out of the building a few minutes later, and immediately noticed his step-father’s police car on the parkinglot.

“Did something happen over here again?” Ian asks the centaur when he’s near the police car. The young high schooler isn’t a stranger when it comes to some of his peers doing some illegal stuff within the school walls, but it was rather once in a blue moon.

“No, your mother asked me to pick you up from school.” The centaur answered. “We’re going to the hospital...”

Upon hearing that sentence, Ian can only think of one person that could be there.

After the 16 year old practically jumped in the car, they drove off. The whole way to the hospital was in silence, both centaur and elf not saying a word.

Finally, after what felt like forever, they arrived at their destination. Ian wanted to just sprint to wherever his big brother is right now, but kept his composure.

And before he even know it, they where standing in front of the reception asking where they have to be.

Like any hospital, the walls are painted white, having absolutely no color to them. It doesn’t sit well with Ian in all honestly.

“Ian! Colt!” The centaur and elf hear a familiar voice call out. It was Laurel, who was waiting for them to arrive.

Without hesitation, Ian ran to his mother for a comforting hug, which Laurel gladly accepted.

“How is he doing?” Colt asks after he talked to the receptionist.

“Barley is doing better...” Laurel answers. “But we don’t know if he gets out of here alive...” That’s basically what all three of them feared.

“C-can we see him?” Ian asks, nervous about what he might see if the answer is yes.

His mother nodded before leading her son and husband to the room Barley is staying in. And no matter how mentally prepared Ian felt, the sight still terrified him.

He saw his older brother laying in a hospital bed, tubes and everything not being added yet. It made Ian’s blood ran cold, knowing that at some point, life support has to be needed.

“Hey.” Barley greets, his voice still hoarse.

“Hey...” the younger brother greets back, stepping closer to the bedside. “Feeling any better?”

“A bit, yes.”

‘A bit...a bit isn’t that much.’ Ian thought. It makes his mind loose a bit hope, hope that his brother will recover from this...illness. The younger Lightfoot hasn’t even realized yet that a lump is forming in his throat.

“It’s okey, Ian...” Barley tries reassuring his little brother, noticing the look on his face. Seeing that Ian has one hand gripping the bed railing, the older Lightfoot lay his left hand on that of Ian to comfort him. “Everything’s gonna be okey...”

Tears finally escape the young wizard’s eyes while listening to Barley’s words. The younger brother slowly nods, wanting to believe what he hears.

•+•

The hospital became a frequent place for Iandore Lightfoot to visit from that day on.

He would visit Barley every chance he got. Whenever it will be after school, or in the weekends. But there where also times when homework got in the way, or when Laurel wants him specifically home after school.

Whenever Ian would visit his older brother in the hospital, he would always bring his history books along. Reading about historic events that involve magic and wizards had become the Lightfoot brothers’ favorite activity over time. 

This went on for weeks, maybe even months. Ian doesn’t really care about time anymore, as long if Barley’s still alive and well.

That was, until the older brother didn’t eat for days.

“Come on, Barley. You gotta eat something!” Ian pleaded constantly, but the only response he got from his brother was a shaking head that said “No.”.

The next day however, Barley straight up eat a whole meal. Laurel and Ian let out a sigh of relief while witnessing it.

“See? It’s getting better!” The youngest Lightfoot says to his mother, full of hope that everything is gonna be okey after all.

But then the talking stopped.

Barley began to answer with shaking his head, nods, or with facial expressions. That soon stopped as well after only a day...

The only expression Barley gave his mother and brother was one of confusion, maybe a bit of fear as well. As if he doesn’t know why he’s in the hospital in the first place.

“Hey, it’s okey.” Ian tries reassuring his brother, who’s picking at his bed sheets. “You’re save here. The doctor’s are going to help you.”

Reaching for Barley’s hand, Ian instantly felt how clammy and cool it had become. It wasn’t the kind of cool you get after you’ve been outside. No, it feels stone cool, it feels abnormally cool.

‘No no no no. His body temperature cannot go down already!’ The 16 year old panicked. In the last week, Ian had researched how patients of lung cancer had died while he was home. He probably shouldn’t have done that, but he wanted to be as prepared as possible.

“Mom...can you get a nurse...?” The panic in her youngest son’s voice made Laurel’s heart break all over again, but stayed strong as she does what she’s asked.

It took a few minutes for the nurse to arrive. When she was there, she immediately went to check if the patient is okey.

“Did he eat and drink enough the previous days?” The satyr nurse asks Laurel and Ian in a distressed tone.

“He didn’t eat anything for a few days, but he did eat a whole meal yesterday.” Laurel answers, both her and Ian not seeing the problem yet.

The satyr nurse expression changes from worry to a sad and pity one. “I don’t think you want to hear this, but...” she hesitated, but seeing the desperate looks on the two elf’s faces, she has to continue. “The patient is in the late phase of active dying. It’s a slow process in which the body slowly shuts down.”

The ringing in Ian’s hears return after hearing that sentence, just like when he first heard the news. He honestly had expected this news of his big brother slowly dying, he just doesn’t ever want to hear it out of a doctor’s mouth.

“Isn’t there anything you still could do to help him?” Laurel desperately asks the nurse.

The satyr slowly shook her head as a response. “I-I’ll give you some space...” she says before leaving the room.

A tense silence fills the room, and tears are shed soon after. It took Laurel a few seconds to go to Barley’s bedside. She can see he’s getting tired, and that he wants to sleep.

“Oh, Barley...” she cubbed his cheek, feeling the clamminess and coolness.

It makes Ian take a longer and closer look at his brother, and it hit him how much Barley had changed over the past months. He looks skinnier, his skin has a disgusting yellow-ish tone, and then there where those tubes...

‘He doesn’t look like himself...’ is the thought piercing through Ian’s mind. ‘Just like he described dad...’

•+•

It took around an hour for Barley to finally fall into a deep sleep. 

Colt has already arrived at the hospital at that time, since Laurel called him up and asked him to come immediately.

Not knowing when it will happen, they each took turns to say what they want to say. First Colt, then Laurel, and Ian as last...

“Hey...” Ian starts off, unsure what to say. “Y-you did great...trying to stay strong... and stayed yourself... like you always have...” It triggers flashbacks in the teen elf’s mind. “Like when we where on the quest with dad...and we had to fight that stone dragon...” a lump starts to form in Ian’s throat. “O-or when I had to cross the bottomless pit to get to the other side...” At that point, tears stream down the teen elf’s cheeks, but he doesn’t really care. “I couldn’t have asked for a better brother...” Ian reaches for Barley’s hand again, not caring if it is stone cold. “I love you...”

Ian felt his throat getting tighter as he said the last words. Laurel, who now stood next to her youngest son, gently lay a hand on his back to comfort him.

The heart monitor, that already beeped at a faster rate in the last hours, went faster and faster, until the beeping turns into a ringing sound that fills the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Can I call myself Onwardverse the Angsty now? Idk, comment if you have a better wizard name :/
> 
> Anyways, I’m going to declare it angst periode on my account, which means more death and angst for at least the rest of the month :D
> 
> And newsflash readers; it👏🏼 gets👏🏼 worse👏🏼
> 
> Hope you liked it!


End file.
